TinaCMS (Tina Cloud)

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to TinaCMS (Tina Cloud)

A curated collection of the 5 best self hosted alternatives to TinaCMS (Tina Cloud).

Git‑backed headless CMS with an in‑context visual editor and hosted content APIs. Tina Cloud provides authentication, collaboration features, and Git-based content storage and delivery for Jamstack/static sites, enabling editors to manage site content without direct repository edits.

Alternatives List

#1
Payload

Payload

Payload is an open-source, TypeScript-first headless CMS for Next.js with an extensible admin UI, auth, drafts, access control, and APIs for building fullstack apps.

Payload screenshot

Payload is an open-source, TypeScript-first CMS and application framework that runs natively inside Next.js. It provides a configurable backend, APIs, and an extensible admin panel to manage content and power fullstack applications.

Key Features

  • Next.js-native architecture that can live directly in an existing Next.js app folder
  • TypeScript-first data modeling with generated types for collections and globals
  • Extensible React-based admin UI, including support for custom components
  • Built-in authentication and granular access control for users, roles, and content
  • Content workflow tools such as drafts and versioning
  • Rich text editing and block-based layouts for flexible page building
  • REST and GraphQL APIs, plus hooks for server-side customization and automation

Use Cases

  • Building a headless CMS backend for marketing sites, blogs, and documentation
  • Creating fullstack Next.js applications that need content, auth, and admin tooling
  • Managing structured content for ecommerce, portfolios, and multi-language sites

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires a Node.js/Next.js environment and is primarily tailored to the Next.js ecosystem
  • Database choice and deployment model depend on project configuration and adapters

Payload is well-suited for teams that want the flexibility of a code-first CMS while keeping content management and application logic in a single, TypeScript-friendly stack. Its extensibility makes it a strong foundation for both content-heavy websites and custom business applications.

40kstars
3.3kforks
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#2
Directus

Directus

Directus turns any SQL database into a headless CMS with an admin app, role-based access control, and instant REST and GraphQL APIs for custom applications.

Directus screenshot

Directus is a flexible data platform that sits on top of an existing SQL database to provide an admin studio and real-time APIs. It can be used as a headless CMS, a backend for custom apps, or an internal data management interface without requiring database migrations.

Key Features

  • Instantly generates REST and GraphQL APIs on top of supported SQL databases
  • Admin Studio for managing content, data models, and relationships through a no-code UI
  • Works with new or existing databases, keeping full control of the underlying schema
  • Role-based access control with granular permissions for collections and fields
  • Extensible platform with support for custom modules and interfaces
  • Digital asset management for organizing and delivering uploaded files

Use Cases

  • Headless CMS for websites and apps using an existing PostgreSQL/MySQL/SQLite database
  • Internal admin panels for business data with fine-grained permissions
  • Backend layer for custom products that need both REST and GraphQL APIs

Limitations and Considerations

  • Licensed under Business Source License (BSL) 1.1 with an additional use grant, which may require a commercial license for some larger organizations

Directus is well-suited for teams that want to keep their SQL database as the source of truth while rapidly adding APIs and a modern admin UI. Its database-first approach and extensibility make it a strong fit for custom builds that outgrow traditional CMS patterns.

34kstars
4.5kforks
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#3
KeystoneJS

KeystoneJS

KeystoneJS is an open-source headless CMS and application framework for Node.js that uses TypeScript, Prisma, GraphQL and React to provide customizable schemas, an Admin UI and generated APIs.

KeystoneJS is a developer-focused, open-source headless CMS and app framework for Node.js. It lets you declare data models (lists) in TypeScript or JavaScript and immediately provides a GraphQL API plus a configurable React-based Admin UI for managing content and data.

Key Features

  • Schema-first data modelling with Lists and rich field types (text, relationship, document, password, timestamp, etc.).
  • Auto-generated GraphQL API and CRUD resolvers that follow your schema and access rules.
  • Full TypeScript typing and developer DX for compile-time safety and editor autocompletion.
  • Admin UI built with React and Next.js, supporting custom React components and field views.
  • Prisma-powered database layer with automated migrations and direct Prisma client access.
  • Built-in access control, session management, hooks, and custom queries/mutations.
  • Pluggable storage adapters and file handling to integrate with object stores or local storage.
  • Designed to fit git-based workflows and common CI/CD/deployment targets.

Use Cases

  • Headless CMS for websites, marketing sites, and multi-channel content delivery.
  • Backend and content platform for web or mobile applications requiring custom schemas and role-based access.
  • Internal admin panels, editorial tools, or lightweight e-commerce backends built on top of a generated API.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Keystone 6 relies on Prisma as its ORM abstraction; currently supported database providers are relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite). Official MongoDB support is not provided due to Prisma/migrations considerations.
  • Behaviour of text filtering and some field types can differ between supported SQL providers; developers must consider provider-specific column types and collation implications.
  • Large-scale or highly-custom multi-database scenarios may require additional engineering around migrations, transactions, and Prisma client extensions.

KeystoneJS is focused on giving developers a fast, type-safe starting point for APIs and content management while allowing deep customization of UI, access control, and persistence. Its core strengths are schema-driven APIs, TypeScript-first tooling, and a React-based Admin experience.

9.8kstars
1.2kforks
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#4
Squidex

Squidex

Squidex is an open-source headless CMS and content hub with REST and GraphQL APIs, workflows, versioning, and integrations for delivering content to any app or site.

Squidex screenshot

Squidex is an open-source headless CMS and content management hub designed for structured content and an API-first workflow. It provides a web UI for editors while developers consume content via robust APIs to power websites, apps, and backend services.

Key Features

  • Schema-based content modeling for structured, reusable content
  • REST API with OpenAPI/Swagger definitions and advanced querying (OData-style filtering)
  • GraphQL endpoint, including support for real-time subscriptions
  • Workflow and role-based permissions to control draft, review, and publishing processes
  • Content versioning with history, comparisons, rollback, and audit-oriented change tracking
  • Event-driven integrations and automation hooks to connect external systems
  • Asset management and import/export tools, including CLI-based administration
  • Built-in backup and restore capabilities for migrations and recovery

Use Cases

  • Centralized content backend for websites, mobile apps, and multi-channel publishing
  • Product catalogs, marketing pages, and structured content for multiple frontends
  • Content hub integrated with internal systems via events and APIs

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires external database infrastructure and careful sizing for high-scale deployments
  • API-first approach means frontend rendering must be implemented separately

Squidex is well-suited for teams that want a flexible, developer-friendly headless CMS with strong APIs, workflows, and operational tooling. It can be deployed via containers or platform-native setups and scaled for production workloads.

2.5kstars
515forks
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#5
Localess

Localess

Localess is a translation management tool and headless CMS built with Angular and Firebase, offering AI-assisted translations, schema-driven content, real-time editing, CDN caching, and API integration.

Localess screenshot

Localess is a translation management tool and headless content management system designed to manage multilingual content and localization for web and mobile applications. It provides a browser-based admin UI built with Angular and uses Firebase services for storage, auth, realtime data and hosting.

Key Features

  • Angular-based admin UI for editing localization and content in real time
  • Uses Firebase products (Authentication, Firestore, Storage, Functions, Hosting) as the backend
  • AI-assisted translation support (Google Translate integration) to speed up initial translations
  • Schema-driven content (schematics) with validation and hierarchical content models
  • Low-code content management and instant publish workflow with CDN-cached generated payloads
  • Import / export tools for migrating or backing up translation and content data
  • Granular user management and permissions for admin roles and access control
  • Exposed APIs for integrating translations and content with web, mobile, or server apps

Use Cases

  • Manage translations and localization strings for multi-language web and mobile applications
  • Serve as a headless CMS for small to medium projects that require schema-driven multilingual content
  • Provide a low-code interface for product/content teams to update and publish content without builds

Limitations and Considerations

  • Core backend relies on Firebase services and Google CDN, which implies vendor dependence and associated cloud costs
  • AI translation is tied to Google Translate integration; using it requires appropriate API credentials and may incur usage fees
  • Not focused on enterprise translation workflows such as advanced translation memory, glossaries, or multi-vendor MT orchestration out of the box

Localess is suitable for teams that want a lightweight, Firebase-native approach to localization and headless content management. It streamlines i18n workflows and quick publishing for apps that can accept a cloud-managed backend.

68stars
20forks
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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running